City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 10.7% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $110,700 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,077 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Columbia, SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Columbia, SC to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +10.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,663 in Salem | $90,365 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,077/yr.
39 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,077/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Salem, OR | Real change, Columbia → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $74,810 | $67,602 (+12.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $131,620 | $118,938 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $87,480 | $79,051 (+14.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $131,750 | $119,055 (+45.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.